The Connecticut Sun are almost at the end of the road.

Now they just need to get some stops along the way.

Connecticut starts July the same way it spent nearly all of June — away from home. It's a doozy of a road trip, too, because the Sun will play four games out west in seven days.

If that wasn't grueling enough, they'll play three of the WNBA's best teams over five days, starting Sunday at the Seattle Storm (Key Arena, 7 p.m., NBCSB).

Connecticut visits the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday and the Phoenix Mercury (13-5) on Thursday. Phoenix is in first place, and Los Angeles and Seattle are both 11-5 and tied for second.

The Sun conclude their trip Saturday at the Las Vegas Aces.

Connecticut (9-6) has lost five of its last seven games.

"The area of concern, or the most disappointing, through some of our struggles is the large runs we've been unable to stop," Sun head coach Curt Miller said. "In Atlanta, it was a 24-0 run (during a 75-70 loss on June 22).

"Washington had a 22-4 run (during a 92-80 loss on June 26). Even (Wednesday) in a double-figure win, Indiana was able to make some runs that it took us a while to stop."

Connecticut led Indiana by as much as 18 in the first quarter and 24 with five minutes, 12 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Fever scored 14 unanswered points to cut its deficit to 10 late in the third quarter. The Sun won 101-89.

"The WNBA game is full of runs, and we understand that," Miller said, "but these large runs that we've given up before we get stops magnifies that we're a sum of our parts.

"We haven't had a player who we know we can play through to stop a run early in its tracks. Or have a collective group of five bearing down defensively to stop that momentum."

Another big issue for Connecticut has been fouls. It leads the league in fouls (22.8), and its opponents have averaged a league-leading 23.4 free throw attempts.

Third-year starting center Jonquel Jones is tied for third in the league in fouls (52). She had 28 fouls in 102 minutes in the five games prior to Wednesday's win. That's a foul over every 3.6 minutes.

Jones' development into a second-team All-WNBA pick last season helped the Sun snap a four-year skid. Her struggle to stay out of foul trouble and on the floor has been a debilitating obstacle for Connecticut, especially since its most invaluable player, Alyssa Thomas, has missed the last six games to a shoulder injury.

Sun post Chiney Ogwumike was tied for the fourth most fouls (51), too.

"We're averaging one more foul a quarter (than opponents) and putting teams on the foul line at a really high rate compared to the rest of the league," Miller said. "Part of that is a lack of discipline.

"We have to be smarter. What's hurting us our fouls that are 80-to-90 feet away from the basket. So now whenever we're having fouls happen routinely, it's leading to (the other team being in) the bonus."

Thomas injury has exacerbated issues as she was second in WNBA in rebounding (9.9) and ninth in assists (4.2) prior to her injury. There's no timetable for her return.

"We're really pleased with the range of motion increase since the injury, and the strength and everything is tracking positively," Miller said. "We're cautiously optimistic with how rehab is going."

The Chicago Sky, New York Liberty and Washington have all struggled this season when it was without at least one key player.

Los Angeles has been an outlier as its won games in which only one of its two WNBA superstars, Candace Parker or Nneka Ogwumike, were healthy enough to play.

The Sparks are also a good example of how the WNBA has been far more completive this season because they've been blown out twice at full strength. They were thrashed at home by Seattle (88-63, June 7), and at the Dallas Wings (101-72, June 22).

"It's hard to deny that probably, going into the season, that L.A. would be the team to beat this year because they're so deep and so talented," Miller said. "And they've had a couple of losses by nearly 30.

"On any night in the WNBA, depending on travel and health, anybody can beat anyone. Let's face it. Indiana has won one game, but it has hardly played a game this season where it hasn't been in striking distance in the fourth quarter."

n.griffen@theday.com